At March’s Senior Education Network meeting, Kelli Fritts, AARP’s Associate State Advocacy Director, presented the latest state legislature news on pending senior related bills. AARP is looking for new volunteers to help as advocates on legislature issues to help seniors. If interested, please call Kelli at 303-764-5991 or email her at kfritts@aarp.org
Kelli reviewed the legislature bills most likely won’t pass affecting seniors on residential landlord rental application, next generation 911 board, and prohibit price gouging on certain prescription drugs (needs modification).
The major bills under review that AARP supports include statewide system for advanced directives, continue consumer insurance council, continue civil rights commission, Colorado Arbitration Fairness Act, transportation infrastructure funding, freestanding emergency departments, recording fees for affordable housing, affordable housing tax credit, residential lease and rent receipts, opposing reduction of state income tax rate (affects budgeting and future projects), oppose state catastrophic health plans, oppose health insurance producer fees, and support prescription drug price transparency.
There are issues on cutting Medicaid Long Term benefits due to budgeting issues including SNAP food stamps program due to perceived fraud issues, Public Utilities Commission on revising utility rates, TABOR (past law balancing the annual budget without approved additional expenditures) needs modifications to increase spending levels without approvals but likely won’t happen as house governed by Democrats, who want more social programs and Senate governed by Republicans who want to cut back on social programs.
The big pharmas are lobbying against negotiating drug prices, but several house bills are hoping to change that.
The 911 telecom industry don’t want regulations as they are heavily lobbying against any regulation bills. For more info, please visit AARP Colorado website at www. aarp.org/co for updated statewide legislation status.